canyoncarver

They don't come off too easy.



I killed 5 cones in one shot on the last corner of the last lap of the day.

On the first two laps at the msa driving clinic, I started trying to go slow. I still entered the two long sweepers too fast and too hard on the brakes to where the back end was sliding out. It was kinda fun controlling the slide with the throttle thru the corner. Lift a little to keep from spinning out completely. Gas it some to keep from getting traction and heading off the course. I was in the low 67 seconds per lap. Also, on the first lap with the instructor in the car, I completely missed a slalom section of cones. I felt like a real ditz.

On the third and fourths laps I was a little familiar with the course, but still telling myself to slow down, I focused on braking earlier into those sweepers. Then I was like WOW, each lap with a mid-64 sec and then a mid-62 lap. On the 64 sec lap I went too fast after this second slalom section and did three steering wheel lock-to-lock turns thru three corners as I was trying to slow down for the last hairpin before the finish. If you can imagine, spinning out to the right, catching it at the apex, then spinning out to the left, catching it at the apex, then spinning out completely after the last apex, taking out two cones, dropping it into first gear ang going again without ever coming to a stop. Except for that, I was only sliding a little and only when I wanted to to help rotate the car thru the corner.

After lunch (no alcohol I swear) the organizers decided to add another chicane to the two that were already there before lunch. I thought I'd be smart and improve my rear wheel traction under braking by lowering the tire pressures a coupla pounds. Big mistake. I was in spin-out mode, sliding around every corner. I then went and lowered the front pressures a coupla pounds to rebalance the chassis. I ran another three laps after lunch with a best time of 62.445.

The modded Z'z with R compound tires were running high 59'z and up. The instructors were running 55'z to 57'z. One instructor in a stock looking dodge magnum turned a low 60 sec. lap.

The biggest cone marks, I cleaned off the sides and wheels before the show on sunday. I hope the motel people weren't too pissed off about the black cone marked towel I left for them. Hopefully some wax will get the rest of the marks off the front. For those of you that haven't explored the handling limits of the Z, I'd highly recommend it. It's a BlaZt.

I have someone elses in-car video of the track, just no place to host it. It has a cool led zepplin song playing along.

/cone marks

Attached Thumbnails